HOUSTON, TX (August 6, 2021) – The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), a nonprofit research hub providing independent analysis on energy, air, water and climate announces the launch of an interactive climate modeling portal, RESIN. The tool will inform communities along the Upper Texas Gulf coast on how climate change will impact their daily lives based on key environmental indicators including temperature, heat, and precipitation in a nine-county area.
Communities around the world are facing climate-change related impacts, such as increased frequency and intensity of storm events and drought periods, rising temperatures, and sea level rise. The Upper Texas Gulf Coast, located on the Gulf of Mexico, is particularly susceptible to coastal impacts from climate change such as sea level rise and high tide flooding. These climate-driven hazards compound interrelated risks to critical infrastructure, social vulnerability, and natural habitat.
“Climate resilience is the ability to prepare for, respond to, and subsequently bounce back from impacts as a result of climate change,” states Dr. Stephanie Glenn, HARC Program Director. “By preparing for future hazards and risks that are connected to our changing climate, communities can better withstand different magnitudes of events and mitigate impacts.”
Planning for climate change impacts requires a holistic understanding of social, environmental, and economic impacts to plan for resilience and adaptation. The RESIN portal brings data, information, and guidance to the forefront of decision making. RESIN provides a foundation for Community-Based Climate Resilience planning.
“Participation in resilient thinking from all levels of a community or region can strengthen adaption actions promoting resilience,” states Dr. Gavin Dillingham, HARC Program Director. “RESIN can help guide communities on potential adaptations or actions a community can take to mitigate a current or future impact of climate change.”
The RESIN climate indicators were produced by Drs. Katharine Hayhoe and Anne Stoner of ATMOS Research & Consulting using future climate projections and historical observations.
RESIN Portal may be accessed here. Fact sheets and a mapping narrative are found online at www.harcresearch.org/RESIN.
About HARC
HARC is a nonprofit research hub providing independent analysis on energy, air, water and climate issues to people seeking scientific answers. Its research activities support the implementation of policies and technologies that promote sustainability based on scientific principles. HARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization building a sustainable future in which people thrive and nature flourishes. For further information, contact HARC at (281) 364-6000 or visit www.HARCresearch.org. Connect with HARC, via Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Like or follow @HARCresearch.
